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The Magus Order
When Lincaeum was founded during the Age of Chaos, the most powerful mages who came together on that island formed a much smaller covenant. These Archmages swore that they would step aside from politics and the petty affairs of the world and be the high standard to which Wizards could set themselves. Centuries later, when Lincaeum opened its shores and founded the Lincaean Universities, membership in this order was the ultimate position to which an Arcanist could aspire. The list of its members has some of the most storied Wizards in history, Galadia Herself was once a Mage of the Order. Then, during the Dissolution, the Order found itself dwindling in importance and membership, until there were only a few scattered Archmages struggling to maintain the standards and dignity that they had sworn to uphold. Then the first Mage War happened, and the world was plunged into the Age of Blood, where being an Arcanist meant being in power, and all that mattered was how much power you had and how much you could take. It wasn’t until the Treaty of Magar that the Magus Order rose once more to prominence. There the Archmages stepped forward and presented themselves as the watchmen of the Arcane world. They would repurpose their organization, changing to be more than mere figureheads, but the guiding hand that could both protect the Arcane world from exploitation, and also prevent it from becoming a monster all its own. Since the third Mage War, their oversight has become even more important to the world. Thus the Magus Order was given dominion over the whole of the Arcane sphere. Its membership is drawn from all schools and kinds, from Temnroe Sorcerors to Witches and from Illuminus Summoners to Lincaean Wizards. To be a Mage of the Order is to dedicate yourself to maintaining the peace of the Arcane, mediating disputes, arbitrating trials and meting out punishments where necessary. Much like the Inquisition, the Magus Order polices the Arcane schools. Unlike the Inquisition the Order is much less pervasive, and is not looking for infractions in a strict charter. Instead the Order simply seeks to prevent another disaster like the Mage Wars from happening to the world. The Magus Order is what ensures that no nation creates more than its allotment of Mage-Knights and War Beasts, it is also what prevents private Wizards from creating their own armies of Mage-Knights. The Magus Order maintains the restraints on the Tarrasques, ensuring that control of the great beasts cannot be usurped from their owning nations. Once again membership in the Order is something to be celebrated, a great achievement on the part of any Arcanist, as they are a very careful of who they allow to join their ranks. The Magus Order is divided up into five Circles. The First, innermost Circle is a council of seven of the most powerful Archmages, and they lead the Order. Power alone is not enough for membership of this inner circle, but it is a prerequisite. The Second Circle are the high offices of the Order, and comprise some of the strongest spellcasters in the world, any of whom would be candidates for the First Circle should a position be vacated. The Third Circle is where the majority of strong, combat-ready Archmages are, and where the main magical muscle of the Order resides. It is at this level that you are likely to find Arcanists who are headmasters and deans at their particular schools. The Fourth Circle are the ground-level agents of the Order, those low-level Archmages who often head colleges and faculties at Arcane schools. This Circle is the one most likely to be involved in dispute mediation and investigations. The Fifth Circle is where new initiates to the Order who have been accepted among them, but have yet to take the first steps towards becoming an Archmage reside. They are given few responsibilities, but are expected to bend their efforts towards advancing to the Fourth Circle as soon as they can. Category:World Powers